Status: 07.04.2023 14:01
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov is in Turkey for talks. He threatened to terminate the grain deal. He set conditions for possible peace talks with Ukraine.
Russia has threatened to terminate the international agreement on grain exports from Ukraine. During a visit to Turkey, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized that Russia will not extend the agreement without facilitating its own agricultural exports. “If there is still no movement on dismantling barriers to the export of Russian fertilizers and grains, we will consider whether we need the deal,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by state news agency TASS.
If the West does not give in, Russia could resume its blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Addressing the West, Lavrov added: “Let them continue to send the relevant goods from Ukraine by rail or river.” Russia will then work with Turkey and Qatar to sell its agricultural products on the world market. Plans for this have already been discussed.
Contract runs until next month
The current agreement expires without extension in the middle of next month. After the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine in February last year, Russia blocked Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea for months, thus preventing grain exports. Ukraine is one of the most important exporters in the world. As a result, there were fears of a famine, especially in poorer countries.
A deal was then negotiated in the summer, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations. Since then, according to Turkish information, more than 27 million tons of Ukrainian grain have entered the world market. The agreement, originally concluded for 120 days, has been extended twice, the last time only for 60 days. Russia has repeatedly threatened to cancel the deal. This is also justified by the fact that the country’s own grain and fertilizer exports are being hampered by Western sanctions.
Meeting in Ankara: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Cavusoglu. Image: via Portal
Türkiye worried about possible escalation
At a press conference following the meeting with Lavrov, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu expressed concern that the war between Russia and Ukraine could escalate in the spring. The Turkish government will continue to try to end the war through negotiations, Cavusoglu said.
In response to journalists’ questions, Lavrov was, in principle, open to negotiations on ending the war. However, negotiations must be based on consideration of Russian interests, he said.
After the talks with Cavusoglu, Lavrov also has a meeting with the Turkish head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on his agenda.